In recent years, electro-optical equipment has begun to replace electronic equipment for certain applications such as telecommunications networks. This trend should continue because electro-optical equipment has inherent advantages over purely electronic equipment. These advantages include a broader bandwidth for signal transmission, greater storage capability for data, and quicker processing of information. Given these advantages of electro-optical equipment, optical-fiber cables have become increasingly important because they transmit information and signals between the various pieces of electro-optical equipment. Optical-fiber cables comprise optical fibers which are surrounded by strength members and an external jacketing. The appearance of these cables resemble electric-shielded cables, but optical fiber cables are smaller in size and lighter in weight.
Because optical-fiber cables transmit information optically, the interconnection between two cables requires precise alignment and abutment in order to avoid severe loss of transmitted data. Researchers, therefore, have expended a great deal of time and effort developing connectors which provide interconnections between optical-fiber cables with low loss and low reflection. One method of connection involves using connector plugs which have a ferruled component surrounding the optical fiber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,462 by Clancy et al. is an example of an optical-fiber connector having ferruled components.
Clancy et al. disclose an optical-fiber coupler which includes an adapter that interfaces two optical-fiber connector plugs having ferruled components. The adapter in Clancy is the standard SMA 906 in-line adapter. This type of adapter includes one elongated cylindrical structure having two openings for receiving two separate connector plugs. The cylindrical structure has threaded outer surfaces on its ends which complement the threaded nuts located on the optical-fiber connector plugs. Accordingly, the threaded surfaces of the adapter screw into the nuts of the connector plug to secure the plug firmly in place and bring the plugs into alignment. The adapter also has a main opening which receives an alignment sleeve. This sleeve properly positions and holds the ferruled components into the physical abutment required for connecting the optical fibers.
Although the standard in-line adapter provides the required connection and alignment of the optical fibers, this connection can be disengaged only by demating the adapter from the connector plug itself. Assembly and disassembly of multiple rows of connections thereby require making each connection separately and individually. In a naval combat environment however, battle damage and system failures often require a rapid assembly and disassembly of multiple optical-fiber connections for fire control, ship defense, and other critical systems.
Additionally, the standard in-line adapter couples two connector plugs which have one only method of attachment to the adapter. Occasionally, however, two different methods of attachment, such as a bayonet socket and a threaded socket, must be connected in-line. These in-line connections typically require use of a jumper cable. The jumper cable comprises an optical-fiber cable with two different connector plugs on its ends. The first connector plug of the jumper cable has a method of attachment, such as a threaded socket, which matches the method of attachment of the first plug to be connected. The second connector plug of the jumper cable has a method of attachment, such as a bayonet socket, which matches the method of attachment of the second plug to be connected. An in-line connection made with a jumper cable accordingly requires two in-line adapters and two in-line connections. Each in-line connection increases the loss of transmitted data between the abutting optical fibers.